Firefly National Championship 2025 at Lyme Regis Sailing Club - Day 6

Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis © Optical Marine

Race 8

Race 7 having been abandoned and postponed on Thursday, Race 8 went ahead as the first race Friday when a light Southerly breeze developed, and the fleet launched after a short postponement.

Starting was problematic resulting in a black flag recall with casualties.

Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis - photo © Optical Marine

The next start went and favoured boats who were able to play right side without overstanding due to tidal effect did best. Morris /Hudson in "Horror" made the those correct tactical choices combined with good pace and led at the top mark with Panks and Hackers also in the mix.

These 3 boats stayed clear of the pack but place changes were happening lower down most significantly with Meadowcroft and Jones climbing out of trouble and back to 8th in the end. Morris /Hudson held onto 1st with Panks 2nd and Hackers 3rd. The result meant that the overall points between the top 2 had closed significantly and it was all to play for going into the last race of the series.

Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis - photo © Optical Marine

Race 7

The race team did a fantastic job to squeeze in delayed race 7 by opting for a gate start and cleanly getting the fleet off with 15 mins before the cutoff time to round out the championships with a full compliment of races. After race 8 (sailed first on Friday) The Panks had closed to within 4 points of Ollie & Hazel going into the final race, a delayed Race 7.

Ollie & Hazel engaged The Panks prestart. The Panks were able to hold their own and both teams started cleanly, heading out of the gate early. The Panks were able to pull forward, tack & cross the fleet to lead at mark 1 with Ollie & Hazel glued to their transom in 2nd.

Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis - photo © Optical Marine

Much as the previous race the soft southerly and confused sea state favoured the lighter teams the question was how much further would the sea breeze clock right? Would first time pathfinders Harvey and Sophia Hillary have won the golden ticket?

At the first windward mark Jono and Freddy Pank were in the lead closely followed by championship leaders Ollie and Heather and then Terry and Annabelle Hacker. Pathfinders Harvey and Sophia rounding promisingly in 10th lots of passing opportunities followed and by the end of the first lap Jono and Freddy had extended their lead followed down the run by a tight bunch including Ollie and Heather, team Hacker, Fin Morris and Robbie Hudson along with Harvey and Sophia who'd made large gains on the beat and Mark and Beatrice Tait who'd come through on the previous downwind. By the end of the run the Pank's lead had been reduced by the blanket of boats behind buy Ollie and Heather had slipped back to 4th but still leading the Championship by a point.

Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis - photo © Optical Marine

Up the final beat, the Panks covered Ollie & Hazel, needing another boat in between them & briefly lead the championship for the first time in the week, approaching the final finish line as Finn & Robbie had overtaken Ollie & Hazel... The Panks efforts to slow Ollie & Hazel though had allowed Harvey & Sophia to go on a charge and hit the right to gain leverage and capitalise in the final meters to take their first Championship race win.

At the finish line, neither team celebrated, both knowing it was within a point, but unsure of the final result until getting back to land to hear the final results going the favour of Ollie and Hazel to take the win at the 79th Tideway Firefly National Championships 2025.

Firefly Nationals 2025 at Lyme Regis - photo © Optical Marine

Fleet consensus was unanimous that the week was a resounding success with great racing, fantastic parties, dancing and utterly awesome live music.

Massive thanks to our 79th Tideway Firefly National Championships sponsors and supporters, Hyde Sails, Selden, Sailboat trailers, Marlow Ropes, South Coast Embroidery, Ovington Boats, Coastwatersports, Craftinsure and Tideway Wealth Management.

Overall Results: